There's nothing like putting your whole future into (several) two-hour exams. Today, I suffered a defeat that every physicist dreads.
I was unable to figure out a problem with a bowling ball rotating down a bowling alley.
The best is still to come -- I knew the problem, because I read it a month ago during my preparation for the exam. Verbatim. I even had the picture of the problem printed in the book in my head while I was sweating in that room. I was able to turn to the page it was printed on immediately when I got home. And, of course, after I got home today and out of the test situation, I was able to solve it in about ten minutes.
Ack! With luck, the grading gods and the Patron Saint of Partial Credit be merciful, eking me through the Classical Physics portion of the Qualifier. Otherwise, I get to do all of this preparation again -- with the added bonus of getting kicked out of school if I fail.
But, on an upward note, the math portion left me with a good feeling. It's a rare occasion that I leave a math exam feeling good, but thinking that you won't have to ever do that again leaves me with a warm, fuzzy feeling.
Also interesting is that I now fully and completely understand my fellow coworkers' desire to get very, very drunk after completion of the full set of exams. I will not have that opportunity until Friday night. Until then, back to the books!
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